Article
Neurosciences
Fabio Castro, Paulina Anna Bryjka, Giovanni Di Pino, Aleksandra Vuckovic, Alexander Nowicky, Daniel Bishop
Summary: The study looked into how sonification affects the simultaneous use of action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) strategies. The results indicate that sonification does not influence the effectiveness of AOMI for motor learning in simple tasks.
BRAIN AND COGNITION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jasper Mark, Hannah D. Ryan, Katie M. Fabian, Kaitlin DeMarco, Michael Lewek, Jessica Cassidy
Summary: Aerobic exercise and action observation are two clinic-ready modes of neural priming that enhance subsequent motor learning. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise and action observation priming on functional connectivity within the sensorimotor neural network using electroencephalography. The results showed that both forms of priming increased coherence between the primary motor cortex and motor-related areas in the alpha and beta frequency bands, with the most pronounced effects observed in the high beta band. The gradual increase in coherence over a post-priming window of 10 to 30 minutes can guide the pairing of priming with subsequent training to optimize learning outcomes.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Samantha Chye, Ashika Chembila Valappil, David J. Wright, Cornelia Frank, David A. Shearer, Christopher J. Tyler, Ceri E. Diss, Omar S. Mian, Neale A. Tillin, Adam M. Bruton
Summary: Motor simulation interventions involving AOMI have a positive effect on corticospinal excitability and motor skill performance, but no effect on MI. These results are important for the existing literature on motor simulation and skill acquisition.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Tomotaka Ito, Masanori Kamiue, Tomonori Kihara, Yuta Ishimaru, Daisuke Kimura, Akio Tsubahara
Summary: This study found that visual attention and motion visibility have different activation manners on motor resonance during cyclic gait observation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Edith Van Dyck, Jeska Buhmann, Valerio Lorenzoni
Summary: Our study found that less synchronization occurred between exercise behavior and musical tempo when there was no instruction given to match them. When participants were instructed to match their running behavior to the musical tempo, lower speeds and shorter step lengths were observed compared to the condition without music. This highlights the impact of instruction on running performance and underscores the importance of intention to entrain running behavior to musical beats.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Ambra Bisio, Monica Biggio, Patrizio Canepa, Emanuela Faelli, Piero Ruggeri, Laura Avanzino, Marco Bove
Summary: Action observation combined with proprioceptive stimulation induces a kinesthetic illusion of movement and leads to increased excitability in the primary motor cortex (M1), with effects lasting up to 60 minutes. The study found a significant positive correlation between changes in M1 excitability during and after the AO-KI process, suggesting that M1 response during AO-KI may serve as a marker for individual responsiveness to the combined stimulation.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Danny Adrian Spampinato, Jaime Ibanez, Lorenzo Rocchi, John Rothwell
Summary: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technique used to study the human brain. One outcome measure of TMS is the motor-evoked potential (MEP), which estimates changes in corticospinal excitability. This article summarizes the neural pathways and circuits contributing to MEP generation, discusses factors to consider when interpreting MEP amplitude in motor processing and neurological conditions, and explores how emerging technologies can enhance understanding of neural substrates influencing MEPs.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Fengxue Qi, Michael A. Nitsche, Xiping Ren, Duanwei Wang, Lijuan Wang
Summary: Stroke is a disease that causes brain damage and functional impairments. The bimodal balance-recovery model has been proposed as the mechanism of functional recovery after a stroke. The combination of motor observation treatment approaches with various stimulation techniques may be valuable in neurorehabilitation after a stroke, especially for patients with severe motor deficits.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pasquale Cardellicchio, Elisa Dolfini, Alessandro D'Ausilio
Summary: Evidence suggests that human sensorimotor interaction requires mutual behavioral adaptation and shared cognitive task representations. It has been shown that the left dorsal premotor cortex plays a role in sculpting movements and modulating stopping performance in joint action coordination.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Valentina Bianco, Eleonora Arrigoni, Francesco Di Russo, Leonor Josefina Romero Lauro, Alberto Pisoni
Summary: The Bereitschaftspotential (BP) is a scalp potential that increases slowly over the fronto-central regions as action execution approaches. This study used TMS evoked-potentials (TEP) to stimulate the supplementary motor area (SMA) and found that the reactivity of the left SMA was greater when approaching the peak of BP. Additionally, the effective connectivity of the left SMA increased with the left occipital areas and decreased with the right inferior frontal gyrus, indicating a fast reconfiguration of cortical networks during action preparation.
Article
Neurosciences
Arturo Nuara, Maria Chiara Bazzini, Pasquale Cardellicchio, Emilia Scalona, Doriana De Marco, Giacomo Rizzolatti, Maddalena Fabbri-Destro, Pietro Avanzini
Summary: Observation of others' actions is crucial for motor skill acquisition and can induce changes in motor cortex excitability. Action Observation Training (AOT) improves motor performance, and the extent of improvement is predicted by the modulation of corticospinal excitability and intracortical inhibition during action observation.
Article
Neurosciences
Tingting Zhang, Bingqi Guo, Zhentao Zuo, Xiaojing Long, Shimin Hu, Siran Li, Xin Su, Yuping Wang, Chunyan Liu
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the modulatory effects of transcranial focus ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) on human motor cortex excitability and explore the mechanism of neurotransmitter-related intracortical circuitry and plasticity. The results showed that tFUS can significantly increase M1 excitability, decrease intracortical inhibition, and change the concentration of GABA and Glx in the brain. These findings provide new insights into how tFUS can modulate cortical excitability and plasticity.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Milan Pantovic, Lidio Lima de Albuquerque, Sierra Mastrantonio, Austin S. Pomerantz, Erik W. Wilkins, Zachary A. Riley, Mark A. Guadagnoli, Brach Poston
Summary: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the primary motor cortex (M1) improves motor learning in relatively simple motor tasks performed with the hand and arm, but its effect on complex motor tasks involving whole-body coordination is unclear. This study found that tDCS applied over multiple days can improve motor learning in a complex overhand throwing task.
Article
Neurosciences
Ted Maldonado, Trevor Bryan Jackson, Jessica A. Bernard
Summary: This study investigated the impact of transcranial direct current stimulation on cerebellar and cortical activation. The findings showed that anodal stimulation worsened task performance and increased cortical activation in parietal and frontal regions.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Siman Cheng, Rong Xin, Yan Zhao, Pu Wang, Wuwei Feng, Peng Liu
Summary: This paper presents a scoping review of recent studies investigating the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on brain activity in patients with movement disorders after stroke. The results demonstrate that rTMS can improve motor function and increase functional connectivity in the brain. This research provides insights into the neuroplastic mechanisms of rTMS in stroke rehabilitation.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Ambra Bisio, Monica Biggio, Patrizio Canepa, Emanuela Faelli, Piero Ruggeri, Laura Avanzino, Marco Bove
Summary: Action observation combined with proprioceptive stimulation induces a kinesthetic illusion of movement and leads to increased excitability in the primary motor cortex (M1), with effects lasting up to 60 minutes. The study found a significant positive correlation between changes in M1 excitability during and after the AO-KI process, suggesting that M1 response during AO-KI may serve as a marker for individual responsiveness to the combined stimulation.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Massimo De Nardi, Ambra Bisio, Lucio Della Guardia, Carlo Facheris, Emanuela Faelli, Antonio La Torre, Livio Luzi, Piero Ruggeri, Roberto Codella
Summary: The study suggests that cold-induced thermogenesis may be a potential strategy to increase resting energy expenditure in both lean and obese individuals. Longitudinal studies are needed to further explore the effects of chronic cryostimulation on metabolic adaptations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Tiziana Lencioni, Chiara Ponte, Carola Cosentino, Susanna Mezzarobba, Ilaria Carpinella, Maurizio Ferrarin, Laura Avanzino, Giovanna Lagravinese, Elisa Pelosin
Summary: The study found that music, especially fear-inducing music, has a significant impact on the performance of visual-spatial learning tasks in both PD patients and ELD individuals. PD patients were slower and performed worse in learning compared to ELD, indicating an impairment in visual-spatial learning in PD.
PARKINSONISM & RELATED DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Mingqi Zhao, Gaia Bonassi, Jessica Samogin, Gaia Amaranta Taberna, Elisa Pelosin, Alice Nieuwboer, Laura Avanzino, Dante Mantini
Summary: Balance and walking are fundamental to support daily activities. This study investigated the neural processes underlying gait control using high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG) and ankle acceleration data. The results showed that the primary sensorimotor cortex (M1) plays a key role in gait modulation, with involvement of premotor cortex, thalamus, and cerebellum. Additionally, there were interactions between frequency band and gait phase in premotor cortex and thalamus. The findings suggest that hdEEG-based electrophysiological source imaging can be used to investigate dynamic neural processes of gait control.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Gabriele Gallo, Peter Leo, Manuel Mateo March, Andrea Giorgi, Emanuela Faelli, Piero Ruggeri, Inigo Mujika, Luca Filipas
Summary: The aim of this study was to compare the training characteristics of junior, under 23, and professional road cyclists. The study found that professional cyclists had longer training sessions and higher elevation gains per distance. Junior cyclists had lower annual total work but higher eTRIMP per hour. Junior cyclists also spent more training time at medium and high heart rate intensity zones compared to under 23 and professional cyclists.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Monica Biggio, Ambra Bisio, Valentina Bruno, Francesca Garbarini, Marco Bove
Summary: In this study, it was found through experimental testing of comfort distance that interpersonal space is greater when wearing a mask. The increase in interpersonal space without a mask is related to anxiety traits, rather than transient factors related to the pandemic. Additionally, contextual adaptation of interpersonal space occurs when elements related to the actual pandemic situation are present.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emanuela Faelli, Marco Panasci, Vittoria Ferrando, Roberto Codella, Ambra Bisio, Piero Ruggeri
Summary: This study examined the acute effects of two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) programs on adolescent rowers. The longer HIIT program resulted in higher cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses, as well as increased perceived effort. This highlights the potential value of incorporating HIIT into traditional training programs for adolescent rowers.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Giovanna Lagravinese, Ambra Bisio, Marco Bove, Alessandro Botta, Gaia Bonassi, Roberta Marchese, Piero Ruggeri, Elisa Pelosin, Laura Avanzino
Summary: The study found that individuals with Parkinson's disease showed reduced motor resonance to disgust-inducing emotional contexts compared to healthy individuals, suggesting a deficit in translating aversive emotional states into physiological responses. However, their responsiveness to sadness-inducing emotional contexts was similar to that of healthy individuals.
BEHAVIOURAL NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Marco Panasci, Vittoria Ferrando, Ambra Bisio, Luca Filipas, Piero Ruggeri, Emanuela Faelli
Summary: This study compared the effects of two small-sided games (SSGs), shuttle running within the bout (SSG-S) versus possession play only (SSG-P), on acute physiological and metabolic responses, perception of effort, and performance. The results showed that SSG-S resulted in significantly higher total distance, distances traveled in acceleration and deceleration, average metabolic power, and distance at moderate speed compared to SSG-P. SSG-S also led to higher blood lactate concentration and rating of perceived exertion values. The findings suggest that an SSG format that includes shuttle running within each bout can generate more relevant internal and external workloads in young competitive male soccer players.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS PHYSIOLOGY AND PERFORMANCE
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Marco Panasci, Simone Di Gennaro, Vittoria Ferrando, Luca Filipas, Piero Ruggeri, Emanuela Faelli
Summary: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of resisted sled sprint training (RSS) and unresisted sprint training (URS) on sprint and acceleration performance, vertical jump, and maximal strength. The results showed that after an 8-week preseason training period, the RSS group had significantly better 10 and 30-meter sprint times compared to the URS group. Both groups showed significant improvements in vertical jump and maximal strength, with no significant differences between the groups.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS PHYSIOLOGY AND PERFORMANCE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marcello Mario Mascia, Daniele Belvisi, Marcello Esposito, Roberta Pellicciari, Assunta Trinchillo, Carmen Terranova, Salvatore Bertino, Laura Avanzino, Francesca Di Biasio, Francesco Bono, Vincenzo Laterza, Christian Lettieri, Roberto Eleopra, Giovanni Fabbrini, Pierangelo Barbero, Laura Bertolasi, Maria Concetta Altavista, Roberto Erro, Roberto Ceravolo, Anna Castagna, Maurizio Zibetti, Anna Rita Bentivoglio, Giovanni Cossu, Luca Magistrelli, Cesa Scaglione, Alberto Albanese, Maria Sofia Cotelli, Salvatore Misceo, Antonio Pisani, Tommaso Schirinzi, Luca Maderna, Giovanna Squintani, Alfredo Berardelli, Giovanni Defazio
Summary: The study found that cerebrovascular risk factors may be associated with specific features of idiopathic adult onset dystonia, such as blepharospasm and sensory trick.
PARKINSONISM & RELATED DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Alessandro Botta, Mingqi Zhao, Jessica Samogin, Elisa Pelosin, Gaia Bonassi, Giovanna Lagravinese, Dante Mantini, Alessio Avenanti, Laura Avanzino
Summary: Using high-density electroencephalography (hd-EEG), this study found that the processing of fearful emotional body language (EBL) activates somatosensory areas early on and suppresses motor activity in healthy individuals. These findings provide high-temporal resolution evidence of the interplay between somatosensory and motor areas during the observation of EBL, shedding light on the sensorimotor mechanism supporting freezing behavior.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Edoardo Monfrini, Laura Avanzino, Giovanni Palermo, Giulia Bonato, Gloria Brescia, Roberto Ceravolo, Giovanna Cantarella, Paola Mandich, Holger Prokisch, Karin Storm Vans Gravesande, Giulia Straccia, Antonio Elia, Chiara Reale, Celeste Panteghini, Giovanna Zorzi, Roberto Eleopra, Roberto Erro, Miryam Carecchio, Barbara Garavaglia, Michael Zech, Luigi Romito, Alessio Di Fonzo
Summary: This case collection expands the genetic and clinical spectrum of VPS16-related disease, prompting movement disorder specialists to suspect mutations of this gene not only in patients with isolated dystonia.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS CLINICAL PRACTICE
(2023)
